Golf equipment counterfeiting represents a multi-million dollar industry, and one that has impact on all legitimate product manufacturers. Many of these manufacturers have investigated countermeasures to deter counterfeiters, including covert packaging markings, inks, holograms (and possibly other means of protection of which the inventor is unaware).
Obviously, labels that are not apparent to the naked eye are desired for many manufactured articles and materials, including golf balls. However, the ‘marking’ of products in a manner that is not obvious to the unscrupulous counterfeiter, yet that are robust enough to remain on the product without any deleterious effects, is not a trivial matter. Labels must be flexible in their applicability and as robust as possible. For instance, it is desirable to make labels that can be applied with dyes, inks, stains, shellacs, varnishes, glazes, polymer coatings, and other coatings or materials for application to an article or product. It is also desirable to make such labels robust so that, for instance, they can survive exposure to moderately high temperatures and common solvents, as well as have high impact resistance. Suitable labels must also be non-toxic and have some type of redundancy built into them—that is, the labels should be able to be read in more than one way, as a double check on the authenticity of a labeled article.
Since labels generally require some type of coding (i.e., bar coding, alphanumeric coding, etc.), it is desirable to have such coding on a label that is likewise not visible to the naked eye. In practice today, this is often done by putting a “hidden” number, code, or serial number, for example, in some discreet location on an article, such as inside a case or housing. Unfortunately, such placement is inherently difficult to access when it is desired to read the label. It would be preferred to have coding that is hidden in plain sight. Coding that requires stimulation for readability would satisfy this need.
It is also desirable to have a way of monitoring some time entity or time relationship for labeled articles, such as shipping time or shelf time. A label that included some type of timing capability would satisfy this need. Optimally, such a timing system would have a broad range, being able to time over scales of days, weeks, months, or years, as needed.
This invention calls for incorporation of signature anti-counterfeiting additives into the product itself, via a compound, masterbatch, component, ink or paint system, or other appropriate manufacturing process step. In this manner, the tag is integral to the product, and could not be separated.
Further, the addition of a portable scanning system capable of validating the presence of these additives (be it deployed as an in-shop kiosk, a hand-held scanner given to sales reps or pros, or some other means of distribution) would provide a means for the customer or consumer to quickly feel comfortable with the authenticity of their product at the point of purchase.